SHAFAQNA – Mohammad al-Nimr, brother to the Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr called on Saturday for calm and restraint over his brother’s execution. “We urge you again to prevent any reaction outside the peaceful framework.”
Sheikh al-Nimr was sentenced in 2014 for alleged involvement in terrorist activities. He was put to death alongside 46 other convicts, most of them Saudi nationals.

“We took this stance from the very beginning, saying that we would not resort to violence even if Sheikh al-Nimr were executed,” Mohammed al-Nimr told the press.

Mohammad al-Nimr noted that the cleric’s death came as a shock to the family. Sheikh al-Nimr was revered among Saudi Arabia’s Shiite community, and beyond.

A model for millions of Muslims – whether Sunni or Shia, Sheikh al-Nimr will be remembered as the man who bridged together religious communities.